Friction latch



M. LUMLEY FRICTION LATCH Dec. 31, 1940.

Fiied March 6, 1940 INVENTOR. Mame/c5 .L

UMLEK ATTORNEYS.

Patented Dec. 31, 1940 FRICTION LATCH Maurice Lumley, Cincinnati, Ohio, assignor to The F. H. Lawson Company, Cincinnati, Ohio, a corporation of Ohio Application March 6, 19 10, Serial No. 322,583

7 Claims.

My invention relates to catches for doors, or drawers and the like, more particularly of the type known as Bullet catches, in which when the object to be latched is closed a spring urged plunger or ball enters in the margin of the opening to be closed, engages a channel or pocket on the object which is used to close it. In a bathroom cabinet, for example, the bullet element is in the side of the cabinet, and the pocketed member to be engaged by the bullet element is mounted to project inwardly from the inner face of'the door.

In such constructions mis-setting of the door or closure will result in the bullet catch failing to enter the pocket or depression in the engaging element, and hence in an improper friction latching of the door. It is the object of my invention to overcome this difficulty, and thus avoid the necessity of great accuracy in mounting of doors on cabinets or the like, since by adjustment of the latching element in which the bullet is to engage a proper adjustment, can readily be reached after the cabinet or other structure is assembled.

It should be understood that a spring impelled bullet element is not necessary, although such a bullet is illustrated in the drawing hereto appended. Any way of providing a knob or projection which is toride over the face of a latching plate and come to rest in a depression therein,

will serve my purpose to some extent at least.

In the drawing:

Figure 1 is a front elevation of a door with a cabinet to which it is mounted shown in dotted lines.

Fig. 2 is a section on the line 2-2, showing the new latch in horizontal section.

Fig. 3 is an enlarged front elevation of the latch elements in operation.

Fig. 4 is an enlarged section on the line 4-4 of Fig. 3.

Fig. 5 is a perspective with the parts of the latch plate structure separated to show the construction.

Fig. 6 is a perspective view of the latch plate with a short channeled portion.

Fig. 7 is another perspective showing a latch plate with a longer channeled portion.

To illustrate my invention I have shown a specific application of my invention to a cabinet such as is used in bathrooms. This is illustrative, and the details shown and described are intended to give an example of my invention, the patentable features of which will be set forth in the appended claims, to which reference is made.

too far.

wardly by a spring 6. As shown the bullet catch has a pin on it which is headed on the outside ofthe socket to keep the bullet from projecting In the door are formed a pair of slots 1, against which, on the outer face of the door plate is a screw receiving block 8, suitably tapped with holes 9 for the two mounting screws, employed in this example.

The latch plate has a base I 0, which has holes in it for the screws, and a flange II projecting normal to the base. This flange is formed with a channel I2 depressed therein, in the face which rides over the bullet catch, with a rounded lip beyond the channel over which the bullet will ride. The channel instead of being straight is slanted with reference to the base.

The effect of the channel being slanted is that by loosening the screws and moving the latch plate up or down as the case may be, a point can be reached at which when the door is closed sufiiciently tight, the bullet catch will enter and remain in the channel. If the door is too high, by reason of its hinging, or the socket for the latch is slightly misplaced, or the door hinge or door becomes slightly out of place by reason of looseness or any other reason, the latch plate can be adjusted to give a snug fitting engagement with the bullet catch.

If the catch fails to reach the channel when the door is properly closed, then the latch plate will be slightly raised. If the bullet catch rides beyond the channel the latch will be slightly lowered. The loosening of the screws, and pushing up or down on the latch plate will eflect the adjustment after which the screws are tightened up again.

It will be evident that the principle of my invention is not limited by the particular mode of mounting the adjustable latch plate, and that the application of my latch to cabinet doors is not the only use to which the invention may be put.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. In a friction latching element wherein a projection on one member and a latch plate on another member are to be brought together to form a closure, a latch plate, means for mounting it so as to be adjustable lengthwise on its member, said latch plate having a channel therein for engagement by the projection which is slanted lengthwise so that the adjustment of the plate Will result in bringing the channel to a proper point of engagement with the projection, when the members are closed against each other.

2. In a friction latching element wherein a projection on one member and a latch plate on another member are to be brought together to form a closure, a latch plate, means for mounting it so as to be adjustable lengthwise on its member, said plate having a channel therein for engagement by the projection which is slanted lengthwise so that the adjustment of the plate will result in bringing the channel to a proper point of engagement with the projection, when the members are closed against each other, and the channel being of a size to substantially fit the said projection.

3. In a friction latching element wherein a projection on one member and a latch plate on another member are to be brought together to form a closure, a latch plate, means for mounting it so as to be adjustable lengthwise on its member, said plate having a channel therein for engagement by the projection which is slanted lengthwise so that the adjustment of theplate will result in bringing the channel to a proper point of engagement with the projection, when the members are closed against each other, the latch plate comprising a base and a flange thereon which contains the said channel, said flange being normal to the base and the slant of the channel being with reference to the base,

4. In a friction latching element wherein a projection on one member and a latch plate on another member are to be brought together to form a closure, a latch plate, means for mounting it so as to be adjustable lengthwise on its member, said plate having a channel therein for engagement by the projection which is slanted lengthwise so that the adjustment of the plate will result in bringing the channel to a proper point of engagement with the projection, when the members are closed against each other, the latch plate comprising a base and a flange thereon which contains the said channel, said flange being normal to the base and the slant of the channel being with reference to the base, a screw receiving plate, screws to pass through said base and into the plate, and said latch mounting member having slots therein through which the screws will pass, to engage the receiving plate, whereby the adjustment is made.

5. For use in a bath room cabinet having, a door hinged thereto, and a latching projection on the inner wall of the cabinet, that novel latch plate construction which comprises a latch plate mounted on the door, said latch plate being adjustable lengthwise. and a channel therein to engage the projection, slanted with reference to the lengthwise direction of the plate.

6. For use in a bath room cabinet having, a door hinged thereto, and a latching projection on the-inner wall of the cabinet, that novel latch plateconstruction which comprises a latch plate mounted on the door, said latch plate being adjustable lengthwise, and a channel therein to engage the projection, slanted with reference to the lengthwise direction of the plate, the channel being ofa size to substantially fit the said projection.

7. For use in a bath room cabinet having, a door hinged thereto, and a latching projection on the inner wall of the cabinet, that novel latch plate construction which comprises a latch plate mounted on the door, said latch plate being adjustable lengthwise, and a channel therein to engage the projection, slanted with reference to the lengthwise direction of the plate, the latch plate comprising a base and a flange thereon which contains the said channel, said flange being normal to the base and the, slant of the channel being with reference to the base, a screw receiving plate, screws to pass through said base and into the plate, and said latch mounting member having slots therein through which the screws will pass, to engage the receiving plate whereby the adjustment is made.

MAURICE LUMLEY. 

